Process for distilling solid carbonaceous material



Nov. 12, 1929.

S. HILLE R PROGESS FOR DISTILLING SOLID CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL Original Filed Aug. 9, 1924 Patented Nov. 12, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

STANLEY HILLEB, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO STANLEY EILLER, INC.,

]? OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA rnocnss ron DIS'IILLINGV soLm oannonacnous MATERIAL Original application filed August 9, 1924, Serial No. 781,146. Divided and this application filed May 26,

- 1925. Serial No. 82,948.

The present invention relates to distilling .processes. More particularly the invention relates to processes and apparatus for distilling mateof hydrocarbons in the production of abso- I v lute alcohol and in general to the dlStlllfltion of any material solid or liquid up to temperatures which may be withstood by a metallic cylindrical shell, and which may be subjected to impacting beatin striking and mixing, or to mechanical sub 'vison, and to the simultaneous action of heat.

The preferred form of apparatus for carrying out my invention comprises one or more fixed heated cylinders in which beaters or hammers revolving at high speeds strike and shatter the material, and dash it against the cylinder, spreading it in thin layers around the interior, while a set of slow speed revolving scrapers, wipers or lifters immediately remove the material from the heated surface, to be again struck, shattered, and impacted against the cylinder by the beaters or hammers. The scraping, wiping, or lifting and throwing, dashing and impacting acac tions are repeated many times a minute, the material being started at the feed end of the cylinder and progressively advanced toward the discharge end as the drying proceeds, until the desired degree of evaporation of volatile constituents or distillation has been attained, when the material is discharged from the cylinder. A thin continually changingand thoroughly mixed layer of material is maintained in contact with the 40 heated surfaces and efi'ective rapid distilla tion occurs.

The invention makes possible'continuous and economical low temperature distillation of products, such as sawdust, wood chips, straws, stalks, weeds and the like, andall fuel.

-dangers from explosions are reduced to a minimum due to low temperatures and exclusion of the atmosphere. The low temperatures of distillation resultifi the recovery of improved by-products.

A preferred form of apparatus for carrying out my invention is disclosed in the accompanying drawings of which Figure 1 is a side elevation partially in section showing the preferred form of apparatus embodying two units in cascade.

Figure 2 is a section taken' along line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 isan end view of the discharge end of the apparatus. I

Figure 4 is a partial sectional'view on line 4-A of Fig. 2.

The materials to be distilled are -fed through hopper 1 by pumping or by conveyors in accordance with the nature thereof, to a valve 2 which is driven continuously in any suitable manner to deliver the materials at a predetermined and contrqlled rate through feed passage 3. From passage 3 the material drops: through a passage 4 into the feed end casting-pr head 5 of the apparatus.

supported at one end in and communicates wit head or casting 5, arid at its other end the cylinder 6 is sup in and communicateswith a dischar header casting .Journaled in the hea s 5 and 7 are drive sleeves 8 which are secured to the lifter supporting spiders 9. Supported in any com and connecting the spiders 9 into a rigid cage or structure are rods 10 which extend through the cylinder 6 and are spaced apart and strengthened by members 11. Supported and journaled at spaced points along the rods 10 adjacent the strengthening members 11 are spider supporting members 12 on which are "on the shaft 15 by means of split collars 16 and the diametrically spaced rods 17 are a series of adjacent pivoted hammers or heaters 18 arranged in spaced sections. The adjacent sections of ivoted hammers or heaters are arranged so t at when shaft 15 is rotated the hammers will extend at right angles to each other to effect the advance of the materials through the c linder 6, the hammers or heaters are prefera 1y given a slight angle or twist with relation to theaxes of the cylinder so that as the material is struck it is thrown slightly forward. The feed may however be effected by inclining the cylinder or givin the bars 13 a slight helical twist, or bination of these expedients may be utilized. I

Sleeves 8 have secured thereto and are driven by spur gears 19 at each end of the unit, and gears 19 mesh with and are driven by pinions 20. Pinions 20 are rotatablymounted on stub shafts 21 and pinions 23 are rigidl secured to and driven by spur gears 22. ears 22 are in turn driven by pinions 23 which are rigidly secured to and rotatable vwith the beater shaft'15. Beater shaft 15 is driven through a clutch 24 by a suitable motor 25 or in any other desired manner.

The cylinder 6 is heated by means of a jacket preferably formed by enclosing it in a concentric cylinder 26 which isspaced away from cylinder 6 by suitable mud rings 26 which form the ends of the heating jacket. For low temperature distillation steam under pressures up to 100 pounds per square inch 1 or more is circulated through the ackets by means of inlet-connections 27 and 28 and outlet connections 29 and 30. For higher temerat-ure distillation heated products of comustion are assed through the jacket in the manner dlStfiOSGd in copending application S. N. 731,146, filed August 9, 1924, of which the resent application is a division.

T e distilled vapors and gases are withdrawn through opening 31 in the inlet passage'4 and pass t rough vapor duct 32 into the column 33 of any well known form. From column 33 the vapors pass through pipe 34 to a condenser 35 of any suitable form in which the distillate is condensed. The materials are passed through the cylinder 6 continuously as the distillation proceeds and are discharged through an outlet opening in the discharge head 7 into a continuously rotating discharge valve 36. The valve 36 is provided with pockets and maintains a mechanical seal against the admission of cold air when only one unit or still is utilized as the material is discharged. Valve 36 is driven by means of a shaft 37 which in turn is driven by sprocket 38 secured thereto, chain 39 and a sprocket 40.

The sprocket 40 is mounted on and driven by aspindle 41 which in turn is driven by a pinion 42. The pinion 42 is rotated at its proper relative speed by'means of the spiral drive members or teeth 43 (Fig. 3) carried on the gear 19, at the discharge end of the unit. When more than one unit is utilized the discharge valve 36 of the unit immediately preceding serves as the feed valve for the next unit. Otherwise the succeeding units are duplicates of the one already described as shown in the drawing. A. full understanding of the second unit will accordingly be had by reference to the description ofthe first unit hereinbefore set forth.

Operatioh In operation the materials to be distilled are fed continuously and at a predetermined and measured rate into the cylinder 6 by means of valve 2. The heaters or hammers 18 are of suitable size and weight for the particular material being handled and are pref rial drops into the cylinder it is splashed or dashed by the hammers or heaters against the heated walls of the cylinder 6. Wiping or lifting members 13 are rotated at relatively low speeds which usually range from 10 to 20 or more revolutions per minute. The relative speeds of the wipers or lifters must be such that the material is lifted and permitted to drop through the cylinder into the path of the heaters or hammers to be struck, dashed, and spread against the heated cylinder 6 in ,a thin, rapidly changing layer with the material being advanced continuously through the cylinder from the feed to the discharge end. The rate of'feeding material through the valves 2 and 36 is timed so that the proper amount of material is in the cylinder 6 to maintain the proper continuous operation of the unit. The heating actlon cf the nvlinder distills the volatile constituents mamas and as the material advances through the cylinder, the solid structure thereof is shattered as it is dashed from the heaters against the walls of the cylinders, wiped or scraped from the cylinder walls, lifted through the cylinder and dropped back to the hammers, and mixed in rapid succession. The repeated heating, beating, impacting, mixing, shattering and dividing actions continue as the material advances through the cylinder, until it is discharged from the valve 36 distilled to the desired extent and with the solid contents thereof in a finely divided state. As the materials pass through the unit, the constituents vaporized by the action of the heat are continuously withdrawn through opening 31 and duct 32, entrained liquid particles are from said space; continuously withdrawing the distillate from said space; and condensing the withdrawn distillate.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

STANLEY HILLER.

separated in the column 33, and the distillate is condensed in 35 and led off to storage, or further treated in accordance with the nature thereof. The materials passing out of the discharge valve 36 may be further distilled in succeeding units at different temperatures by ond unit a binary mixture of benzene and alvarying the jacket temperatures of each unit. For example, fractional distillation may be carried out in succeeding units in the production of absolute or anhydrous alcohol from commercial alcohol by Youngs method. In the first unit a ternary mixture of alcohol, water and benzene may be distilled, in a seccohol may be distilled, and in a third unit pure alcohol may be distilled while sludge and dirt will pass out of the discharge valve in the last unit. In distilling carbonaceous matter such as sawdust or straw, charcoal may be continuously produced.

Having described a preferred embodiment of my inventi0n,,wl1at'is desired to be secured by Letters Patent and claimed as new is:

1. The process of distilling solid carbonaceous materials within a heated cylinder having mounted therein beaters adapted to be rotated at a high speed which comprises the steps of continuously feeding the material into the path of said heaters rotating at high speed; impacting the same against the interior surface of the heated cylinder; removing the same from said surface at relatively lower speeds; dropping the removed materials back into the path of the heaters to be mixed and again impacted against the heated surface; repeating the impacting, mixing, and removing steps in rapid succession; continuously advancing the material through said cylinder as the impacting, mixing and removing proceeds; continually withdrawing the distillate from the cylinder; and condensing the withdrawn distillate.

2. The process of distilling solid carbonaceous substances which comprises continuously feeding the substance into an enclosed space with heated walls; impacting the substance against said walls; quickly removing the substance from said walls into said space; 

